Hose coupler



Aug. 2.1, 192s. m1313297 1 1 E. H. GOLD r-:r AL

HOSE IOUPLER Filed June '21, 192e :s 'sums-sheet 1 Infanta-1T E. H. GOLDEl AL HOSE GOUILER Filed June 2l, A1926 3,5heets-Sheet 2 38 373.9 39

ff Y

Aug. 21, 192s. 1,681,729

- E. H. GOLD ETI' AL` Hosr:` coUPLER Filed June 2;. 192e s sheets-sheet3 .Patented Aug. 2,1, 192s.

UNIT-ED STATES Eennni ILeoLn, or EvANs'roN, ANn nDWAnn-A. `-mJssELL,oFoIiIcAGo, ILLINoIs; y. sAIn RUSSELL AssIGNoR To varon can' HEATINGooMPaNY, INC.,y or. cHIcAeo, ILLINoIsAconrom'rIoN or NEW YORK.` Y j HosncoUPLEIt.

' Application inea June 21, 1926. 'serial N6. 117,451. ,i `1

'This invention relates to a hose coupler and gthe principal `object kistomake certain improvements upon hose couplers of the type now commonlyused kfor connecting together l thehose(oreqliivalent flexible metalconnectors)r on the ends of the steamv ytrain p ipes of railway cars.The Improvement con-i sists 1n the `provision ofthe coupler withan Aeectivelocking device which will not injure the gasket or tendto bendormutilatethe arms or cam lugs of the couplerror itsmate.

` The invention-is illustrated in a referred embodiment intheaccompanying raw'ings, wherein i l Fig. lis a plan View, with 'a part insec-. t1on,` of a couplerconstructed in accordance with our invention',shown as mated with a coupler oi known construction.`

" Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the" improved coupler.

Fig. 3 1s a detail sectional elevation line Fig; 4 is a fragmentaryelevation -of the coupler showing the other Vside from thatshown'inFigQ.

Fig; bis a view in. perspective of the device employed for retaining thegasket of the coupler in its seat, V v p g.' 6 is avlongitudinalsectional plan view ofthe couplers shown in Fig. 1. f ,YFig.v 7 is an end viewofthe coupler showing its outer or gasket end. IFig. Sis a .fragmentary sectional plan view illustrating,thelmating oftwo couplers both oijthe improved type. 'l l i Fig. Qisa`longitudinals'ectional `View on linei`k9-9 O Fig. 6, but showing thecouplers during the actory coupling ornncoupling.`

Figs."10 and 11 aref sectional perspectives of gaskets, the gasket ofFig. 1() beingl em` Fig. 13 1s a iviewy perspective of the ilockingrmember for locking Lthe coupler to its m-te-... V1.1,v Thecoupling assholwn in Figs. 16' and 9, consists of a pair of couplers Aand B,`c0u

-vpler A embodying the improvements of our' present inventionand conplerB bein iatypei ofcoupler in1serv'ice,kno`wn as `the vcou- Coupler B.consists of fa' head 25 formed with a steamy portQ provided atits uterend with a seat 27'fo`r a gasket 28. l On oneside `off the'v couplerhead 25 is .an undercut cam lugaljandfrom the other side of'thefheadproJects an arm 30 formedwith' a camlug Op die top of the-headegis amg32 ninwhich 1s pivotedv the bent over end of a lockinglink 34, the otherend of which also,`

has aright anglefbend adapted to engage.

@111g on kthe mating' couplerfcorresponding to legge.

CouplerAfembodyng improvement-of 70. of generally cylindricalAshape"formed on "the ,top with a latweb 37. Ononeside of the thepresent invention, consists* of a head 236i head is a cam 1`ug'381Vadapted tov be engaged by thepcar'n luggl'onlthearmi() of coupler B."From the other side of the head projects an-'arm kconsisting of anoutwardly curved Q or `concavo-conveir` web 39-r'formedw1th `an x inturned` ange 40and at its outernendwith a thickened portion 41 providedwithanmundercut calnlng `42 to engage the lug `29 on coupler B.``Coupler A may, `if `des1red,be formed onfitsv upper surface with a lugl43 to be engagedby the 'lockinglinkB/lf cou`r `ler B;

The port 44 of coupler Afis shownas hav# r the port 45 of` ing a largerdiameter than couplerfB.r i Thestandardfportdiameter for i stearntrainpipe'cou lers, as exempliedby coupler B`s onejan one-halfinches., Conf`pler Ais intendedto have a' port diameter'of two inches'. SincecouplerAmust mate with "f couplersyof theH standard lsize, the* perpenfdiculardistance between its cams lmust be the same `as the perpendifciilar-vdistance `between the cams of` "thev smaller couplers; v On the otherhand, the larger port 'diameter necessi tates the use of a gasket oflike diameter, and itisfor thisreason that the arm of coupler A has beenmade concavo-convex instead Ofcom sisting of afstraightvweb reinforcedwith ay projectingfrib as infthev'caseof coupler5B.;U Moreover, the"curved vrconstru'ction gives 'fthe' arnifrigidity, as against thethrust of the lock ing member to be hereinafter described,`with outusingan excessive amount of metal. The larger portdlameter alsojmakes 1t`11npractical to use a gasket of the type of gasket 28 of coupler B. vFor lthis reason and for other y more important reasons which will bead-fr verted to, the gasket of coupler A is formed' external-fly with aballi orsplierical surface seats in a correspondingly formed recess inthe coupler head. That is, the gasket designated 46, and which maybemade of the customary rubber composition (Jenkins material), is formedexternally with afspherical surface 47, which fits thesplierical surface48 formed. at the outer end of the coupler port 44. By thisarrangementthe gasket may oscillate in its seat, and to permit thisoscilla-y 2. tionon. an axis corresponding to thehorizoiital diameter ofthe port, whereby the gasketk can yield. at ythe bottom during couplingand uncoupling operations, and to make proyision for retaining thegasket inits seat when l`the coupler is'inot-mated with another coupler,a retaining, device is used constructed preferably as shown. in Figs..5,6 and 9. This device consists of asinglepieee ofwire bent Y to form aring 49liaying afgap at l50, anda pair ofspriiig. lingers lmadre'byreturn bent loop'portions of the wire. The ring portion of the `retainerinto groovev52 in the i'netaliferrule orarmoring 53 with wliichthe innersurface 'of gasket 46`isl armored.. The spring lingers5l are formedVwith bends .54 adaptedto'enter .recesses 5,5;formed in'` thecouplerportat the extremitiesof the hori- A zontal diameter ofthe port.The couplers in i Vmating are rocked on their interlocking cams t gasket46so that itcan oscillate'on a line corshown `in Fig.. 9.4 The gasketyfaces `are* brought into contact first at the bottom points of `tliegasket.` By forming .t and seating responding tothe horizontaldiameterof the coupler port, the lower part of the gasketv can yieldduringthevoperation of coupling 'or' un.

coupling, and this obviates any possibility of theA gasket being crushedor mutilated during such operations. lVIoreover, thek gasket isself-seating against the gasket of the mating coupler sothat ifthecouplers whenzlocked together are not in perfectly accurate alignment,that is, if` the axes of their ports, instead of being on a straightline are at a slight angle to each other, asmay happen through wear,V

on the cam lugs, the' gaskets will nevertheless bear flatwiseone ontheiother., so as to insurek a ysteam tight Joint between the couplers.

Preferably the curvedsurface yofk the gasket,A asf'sliown lin `thedrawings, is of lesswidth than 4the curvedsurface forming the gasket'seat,..so that ,the gasket may oscillate on itsr seatwithout any portionof the curved surface of/the' gasket leaving the seat. Ifthe gasket wererocked beyond itsy seat,in`ad'just ing itself yto theother gasket andthenthe.' couplers were locked together under heavy locking pressure,the curved, surface ofthe gasket might becut or indented or lotherwisedeformed, especially because, in addition to the pressure exerted by thelock, the gaskets are subject to expansion under the heatof the steam. i

It will be. seenl from Figs. y6 and 9, that gasket 46-has an externaldiameter :considerablyfla-rger'than the external-diameter of the gasketQ8 ofcoupler B, While-the internal diameters of the two gasket-s areabout the same. Gasket 46 is formed, in fact, with a .material formingthe body ofthe gasket..V

This armoring takes the thrust of` theother gasket.

The coupleris provided with locl'rifng means preferably constructed as ffollows: 5.8y is aV bracket or housing ontlielweb 37 consistinggofuplights 59 and la cross web. 60..." vThelatter has a threadedperforation for apivotstud 6I on which is pivoted aflocki'ng mem-ber 62one endVGSof which is. adapted tomove over, an

arcuate wedging surface 64 formed on the Y.

web 37 of the coupler head and the other end' y65 of which is adapted,on vrota-tion of .the

locking membento bey brought to bear upon the upper surface of the arm30of the mating coupler. i The'hole (36in the locking member is largeenoughl to allow a certain play on. the pivotstud 61 so that as one endof the locking member yrides up the wedge 64, the other end is thrust.downwardly uponY the arm. of', the

mating couplerjl That is,','the`thrust of the locking member on the armis, infthev main at least, a ydownward thrust substantially in the planeof the interl'ocked cams IThis action minimizes the'tendency yof lthellockto bendthe arm outwardly; ATheuse of certain vknown types of wedginglockshas brought about Vconsiderable bending and distortion of thelcouplerl arms, together with Some mutilation andbending of the locking,cams. yDistortions .of this sort,even ifl they do not prelon Vent theVcou-plervfrom being interlocked 'with'. l

anotherpcoupler, involve-'necessarily disturbing the` parallellrelationship, between r the gasket faces, or at 'least'the offsettingof one face ywith respect vto the other,y and this results in mutilationof the gasket faces. APreferably the under side of the locking mimber 62is beveledv oppositelyatyopposite 'ends of the member providing a sl'igthly vinclfinedfsurface'67 (Fig. 3) to bearV againstthe'arm jofthemating coupler wand an op ositely nclin'ed surface wedge `64.

Fig. 8 illustrates'the mating of two lidentii 68 (Fis 4), te ser @thecal ,couplers'iof the improved type.. These couplers are provided withgasket 69 shown in detail inFig. 1l. f

Operation-The coupler-s, whether yboth are of the improved type or onlyone of them, are coupled together 4by, a' rocking movement ofone on thecams of the other, as illustrated in Fig. 9. The lower portions of thegaskets comeintocontact iirst, Vand with both the gaskets iixed in theircoupler heads, the gaskets will necessarily have to be compressed, atthis place, one against the other, asfthe couplers are rocked intoalignment.Y By mounting the gasket i6 so that it will oscillate on anaxis corresponding to the horizontal ,c diameter of the coupler port,the lower portion ofthe gasket will yield, during therockinginoveinentsof the coupler, so thatv pres-- sure between thegaskets at this'place. is relieved. When the couplers are rocked intoalignment, or substantial alignmenhthe lockinglmember 62 is rotated inthe y the arrow l). The end 63 of the lockingy member krides up thewedge 64 and this forces the other end of the` locking member downwardlyupon the upper surface of the armBO of the mating coupler. The pressurel thusexerted on the coupler arm isappioxis mately in the directionofthe tive edges of `which are vertieah'so that Vthere is little dangerofthe arm of the mating coupler being sprung'or bent.y VVhere'twoycouplers of the improved type arecoupled as indicated in Fig. 8, theconstruction ofthe arm resists any tendency there mayrbeptostrain underlthe pressure exerted by the lock.

Locks of this type are ordinarily driven into` place by a hammer, sothat the pressure which they exert may be' considerable. A 'great dealfof diiiieulty hasbeen experienced through the bending of the'arms ofcouplers of the type i' indicated, and throughfthe bending andmutilation of the interlocking cams as a are# sult of force applied inlocking the couplers tog-ether. the` coupler arm Vis bent even" slightlyor the cams mutilated or distorted,

` the gasket faces of interlocked couplers will be either offset or out,of` parallelism with each other, or bothpas a result of vwhich thegaskets are mutilated and steam tight Fit between their faces becomesimpossible. This difficulty-is,minimized by the provision ofa lock whichacts vertically on the coupler arm of the .mat-ing coupler, and,moreover, slight distortion yof the coupler` can be taken care of by thecapacity of the gasket to oscillate in its seat, lt will be understoodthat while the rocking movements of greater amplitude yare on: an axiscorresponding to the horizontal diameter of the coupler port, theretaining device being resilient will allow the gasket to yield to 1 acertain eXtent as against pressure applied at any point. If the .cams ofthe couplers are worn, or it the' gaskets are, through wear or forVother reasons',

direction of cams, the ac-r shorter than they should be,'thepressureyof" the lockI 'will rock the `couplers beyond l the placeofperfect alignment, but if the gasket canoscillate iii its seat, it willadjust .itself one or each-of the couplersto rock on a spherii callycurved seat.

To adapt the large bore coupler A to couplers ofl standard size, suchyas exenipliiiedby the coupler 13 (Figs. 1,6l and 9), the gasket 46(Fig. 10), is used. When coupler' A1 is to be coupled with anothercoupler of thexsan'ie port, diameter, gasket 69j (Fig. 1l) `will besubstituted for lgasket ,46. `The same `gasket retaining device can beused.

,It willy 'noted that the spring fingers 5l" ofthe wire retainerliefclosely against the" walls! of the coupler port,:and thatino por-`tions of the retainer extend across or obstruct the port opening. `Thisis very advantageous,

since'it has been found ,that wires or similar parts extendingyintoorac-ross the port opening cause considerable frictionalresistance, to the passage of steam, and may even cause .the

gasket and retainerato be blown away atgthe,

rear `end ofv the'traiii line when thek linezis blown ont, Also, piecesof hose or other solid matter might `lodge against such cross wires andblock tlieline.v `The improved retainer here shown does Vnot extendinto-the` port passage, and therefore` offers ynorelsistance tothepassage of'steain or solid matter. i

The improved gasket and gasket-retaining device are not' claimedspecificallyherein but are made the subject inatterof, and claimed in,-a`divisional application filed June 20,

1927, SerialNo. 200,032.' p TWe claim: l, V i

In combinationwith ahose coupler coinpi'isingpa head formed on one sidewith a'eani lug and `an aitin;pro]ecting forwardly from the other sideof the head and adapted'to engage a cam lugofa mating coupler, thematngcouplers being engaged with one another by a downward swinging movementof the i forwardly projecting arms',a locking member pivoted to thetop'ofl the hose coupler forro-` `tation `to locking position so thatone end thereof will engage the upper surface ofthe arm of the matingcoupler and inovejalong the arintoward its free end Iso as to graduallyforce the arm downwardly into engagementwith the cani lug and loe-k itin this position.

In combination with' a hose coupler coin.

prising a head formed on one side with a cam ylug and an arm pro]e'ctingforwardly from Vi e.)

lill

the other side of the head and adapted to en# i kgage the cam lug of amatingr coupler, the

mating couplers being engaged with oneanother by a'downward swingingmovementof Y whereby one projecting end'oit the member 3. Incombinationwith a hose coupler com-k prising a head, a locking memberintermediately. ewiveled on the. head so that. it 'may tilt at rightangles tolits planeof `rotation may be swung over a portion of ay matingcoupler, and means engaged by the other end of the locking member duringthis swinging movementv for simultaneously tilting the rst mentionedprojecting end into engagement with thel mating coupler. l

4t. In combination with a hose coupler fcoiny prising a head, alockingmember intermediatelyy swiveled on the-head so 'that it may tiltat right angleato its plane ojfrotationy whereby one projecting end ofthe member may be v'swung overa portionof a mating coupler, and a camSurface on the head en-- gaging the other end ofthe locking member fortilting the first mentioned projecting end into engagement with themating coupler.

i 5. In combination with a hoseconpler com# prising a head, a wedgesurface on the head,

'i and a forwardly projecting arm, a bracket on thehead, a locking barintermediately. pivoted within the bracket sov th'atwhen ro-` tatedfinone direction one end will ride up n Vthe wedge Surface andthe 'otherend will swing over the forwardly projecting arm of a mating coupler,the pivotal connection being so formed as to rpermit the bar to tilt vat'n right-angles to its plane of rotation whereby it may hilcrumagainstthe bracket when one end rideslup the wedge Surface thus forcingVthe other. end downwardly into locking en`` gagement with the matingcoupler,

. 6.y In combination with. a hose 'coupler 'com risino a hea-.d a wedgesurface on the head, and a forwardly projectingarm,.a lock;- ing-memberswiveled on the head for universal. movement so that when rotated in onedirection it will engage the wedge surface; anda projecting portion ofthe locking inember will be orcedoutwardly and downward;-y

ly into locking engagement with the arm of a mating coupler. 'i 1 7. Incombination with a hose coupler comprising a head, a locking memberswiveledon the head so that when rotated in one direction a portionofthe member will swing into engagement with a mating coupler, and meanson the head engaged by another portion of the locking member for tiltingthe member at right angles to itsvplaneof rota? tion into 'iirin lockingengagement with the mating couoler.

' 8. "In com ination with a hose couplercomprisinga head formed on oneside `with a cam lug and' on the other side with a for? wardlyprojecting arm adapted to engage thecam lug of a mating coupler,a-locking barintermediately pivoted 0n the head' so that it rmay tiltatfi'ight angles to its plane of rotation, and a wedgel surface'on thehead for tilting one end of the bar upwardly when rotated in onedirection wheiebyfthe oppoysite end is` forced downwardly intoengagerment with the arm of a matingvcoupler.

9. In combinationfwith a hose coupler comprising vahead orined on oneeide with a 'cam lng and on the other eide with a forwardly projectingarm adapted to engage the cam lug of ay mating coupler, a bracket on thehead, a pivot pinin the bracket, a locking bar interinediately` pivotedloosely on the pin so that itv maytilt at right anglesto its,y

plane of rotation, and a wedge surface on, the head that is Aengaged byone end of .the bar when rotated in one direction the other end of thebar will be lswung over thearm of a mating coupler andltilted downwardlyinto locking engagement with the arm. y 4 `Renner H. Goti).VEDWARD A. VnUeSELn k whereby' i

